Parents of Davidson High hazing victim plan $12 million lawsuit

The parents of a Davidson High School freshman who suffered a broken arm in an apparent assault in the school's football locker room, plan to announce a $12 million lawsuit against the Mobile County Board of Education on Monday.

Mary Rayford-Kim, the mother of 14-year-old Rodney Kim Jr., told AL.com Sunday night that the suit officially will be announced at a noon press conference Monday at the MCPSS offices.

In addition to the money involved, Rayford-Kim also said the family would ask for four specific items:

1.) For Davidson to forfeit all football games in the 2018 season.

2.) For each of the school's football coaches to be fired.

3.) For all 20 football players involved in the beating to be charged.

4.) For hazing to be banned in all high schools across the nation.

A graphic video that went viral last week shows multiple players beating on Kim Jr., a quarterback, in the school's locker room and two Davidson players jumping on him. The attack took place on April 27 after a Warriors' spring practice.

Kim had surgery to repair his broken right arm last week. His mother has said he has had trouble sleeping since the attack, but that he was able to rest all night on Saturday. The parents have said he won't return to Davidson this school year and probably will finish his high school career somewhere else.

Four Davidson students have been suspended as a result of the incident, and Mobile County Schools Superintendent Martha Peek said in a news conference last week that the suspensions could be just the first action of discipline.

"It's very definitely a disturbing situation that occurred in the locker room at Davidson High School," she said. "It's something we by no means condone. We stress with our students proper decorum. Unfortunately, we had a group of young men that made some very poor decisions. Since that has come to light, we have begun immediately a complete investigation. As you can imagine, it's complex. It will take a lot of interviewing and a lot of follow-up to get all the details and know who was involved and what took place."

Peek said it is her understanding that coaches were in proximity to the situation and rushed to break the attack up when they heard an increase in noise.

The Kims have said that was not the case and also said their son told them of a similar incident with another freshman a week earlier.

Fred Riley, who has been the team's head coach for the past 14 years, has been unable to comment, citing the school system's pending investigation. The team plans to continue spring practice Monday afternoon. The Warriors are currently scheduled to play a spring game at Baldwin County on May 18.